PC Tweaks
Mass Effect was built from the Unreal Engine (UE) 3 games engine, which allows many modifications by the user to enhance the in-game graphics and controls. Mass Effect's in-game configuration options have very little tweaking possibilities and only support basic graphic and key mapping. This article intends to serve as a guide to players who want to have more control on game performance and personalization, by highlight options which players can tweak to better suit their needs. Preface Back up your data All of the changes that are described in this article should only be tested on the files in the documents folder: *'On Windows XP/2000:'X:\Documents and Settings\%Username%\My Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config *'On Windows Vista/7:' X:\Users\%Username%\Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect\Config Replace X with the drive letter where your Windows system is installed on, and replace %Username% with the user that you are logging into the system with.) Notes *'Files location': The Mass Effect game will read the files inside the Config folder. If it fails to do so, or if the files have incorrect data, the game will read the default config files that are located in the folder where you installed your game. By default they are located at 'X:\Program Files\Mass Effect\BioGame\Config'. Those files will be prefixed with the word Default (to avoid editing them by mistake). *'Backup your files': To ensure that your gaming experience will not be damaged, make sure to back up every file that you are about to change. A good way to do this is to copy the Mass Effect or Config folder to a safe place. Alternatively, you can archive the folder to avoid confusion. *'Game Patches': BioWare have released two patches that fix various issues. Installation of a patch will overwrite changes made to the configuration files, and update their version (indicated at the bottom of each file). Writing style The configuration files implement the CamelCase writing style for functions and variables names. For example: the 'Caps Lock' key will be written as CapsLock, 'Right mouse button' will be written as RightMouseButton, etc. Data types Generally, there are three types of data used in the configuration files: * Strings - Any sequence of letters or symbols (generally enclosed with quotation marks). These have no prefixing. * Floating points - Any number with decimal point. These will be appended with the letter f''. * Boolean - a Boolean data type is a true/false variable and can only accept ''True or False. Configuration Files Input File (BioInput.ini) This file is separated into six sections: Engine.PlayerInput (Device Input) This section deals with the way the controls work: BIOC_Base.BioPlayerInput (Player Input) This section has many behaviors that can be changed. It is advised to leave any line that does not start with the word 'Binding' alone. The exceptions to this are: Changing anything other than the recommended behaviors can cause severe gameplay bugs! Binding overview The binding of new keys, or changing behavior of existing keys is handled in the following way: Bindings=(Name="",InputMode=BIO_INPUT_MODE_NONE,Command="",Control=False,Shift=False,Alt=False) *'Name': Define the key that will execute the behavior. *'InputMode': Defines the engine predefined inputs. Should not be changed. *'Command': The command you want to assign to the key. *'Control, Shift, Alt': Does the key work in combination with one of these keys. Make sure to only set True/False here. *'Combining Commands:' You can specify multiple commands, provided they don't interfere with each other. (A good example of this is left shift making you sprint or zooming the Mako's cannon). If you include the word "onrelease" before the command, then that particular command will only activate when the user releases this button. Generally, you only want to alter the Name and Command, unless you have a specific behavior you want to achieve. Key combinations When binding a key with Control, Shift, or Alt combination in addition to the same key without that combination, make sure that the declaration with the combination precedes the one without. For example: Mass Effect comes with a set of commands that can be executed through the console or bound to keys, most are hidden and can only be found through trial and error. Please note, that changing critical game-play keys may cause you to not be able to interface with objects, start conversations, etc. There are also some keys that control several action and sub-actions, removing parts of the binding command can cause that key to stop behaving as expected. Common Tweaks Toggle HUD Skip Cutscenes some locations have the cutscene for a reason (Shepard walk or say something that triggers another event). Skipping that cutscene, therefore, may leave you stuck. Experiment at your own risk.}} Quick-slot keys Squad Commands Quickload Out of combat dashing Game Engine (BioEngine.ini) Framerate Engine.GameEngine Shadows Sound ISACTAudio.ISACTAudioDevice Misc. Graphical Settings SystemSettings TextureLODSettings D3DDrv.D3DRenderDevice BioGame.ini Character Behavior BIOC_Base.BioActorBehavior BIOC_Base.BioPlayerController Inventory BIOC_Base.BioInventory Conversation BIOC_Base.BioConversation Misc. Behaviors BIOC_Base.BioPawnBehavior BIOC_Base.BioPawn Cooldown BIOC_Base.BioActivePower Merchants BIOC_Base.BioWorldInfo Saves BIOC_Base.BioSaveGame Weapon Light Colours BIOC_Base.BioWeapon BIOGuiResources.ini BIOC_Base.BioSFHandler_CharacterRecord BIOC_Base.BioSFHandler_HUD BIOC_Base.BioSFHandler_Shop BioParty.ini Inventory BIOC_Base.BioPlayerSquad BioGame.ini In-Game Console Enabling The Console To enable the console, browse to and open the file ...Documents\Mass Effect\Config\BioInput.ini (the full location is mentioned above) in any text editor (Notepad, for example), but not with rich text editor (Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer, WritePad, and the likes). In the file you opened, search for Engine.Console, and add the line ConsoleKey=Tilde just under it. some keyboard layouts, specifically on non-US English layouts, the Tilde key will map differently, and the game engine will not recognize the Tilde keyword. In this case, you will need to select a different key, such as Tab, CapsLock, or any other to function as the console key. Bug: Please be advised that when you shut down your computer, or completely exit the game for a prolonged period, the BIOInput.ini may be overwritten, and thus will not have the console enabled. Usage Commands Notes: #SaveGame - John00_QuickSave. The first part is the character name followed by the number count of that character name (such as having more than one John). The second part is the save name. John00_1 will result in "Save 1" in the loading screen user interface. John00_tester will result in "Save 0" in the loading screen. Excluding the Name00 from the string will result in a save file that cannot be accessed via the user interface and can only be loaded with the LoadGame command. #LoadGame - John00_QuickSave. Loading a game such as tester without having loaded a previous save in the career the save game was created from will result in unrecoverable errors and you will be forced to exit the game via exit or quit. Reference Generic types *Heavy_Armor *Medium_Armor *Light_Armor *Assault_Rifle *Sniper_Rifle *Shotgun *Pistol *Bioamp *Omnitool *Gethgun_Pulse Race-specific types *HumanL *HumanM *HumanH *QuarianL *TurianL *TurianM *KroganM *KroganH Manufacturer Codes Items marked with an asterisk(*) are not normally obtainable in-game, and can only be acquired through the console. Armor Mods Example: GiveItem Self 10 X_Armor_MedicalExo * X_Armor_AblCoating (Ablative Coating) * X_Armor_CombatExo (Combat Exoskeleton) * X_Armor_CushGel * X_Armor_EnerWeave (Energized Weave) * X_Armor_EnvSeals (Toxic Seals) * X_Armor_Exoskel (Exoskeleton) * X_Armor_FieldRegen (Shield Regenerator) * X_Armor_FirstAid (First Aid Interface) * X_Armor_HardWeave (Hardened Weave) * X_Armor_HazardSeals (Hazard Seals) * X_Armor_KineticBuff (Kinetic Buffer) * X_Armor_KineticExo (Kinetic Exoskeleton) * X_Armor_MedicalExo (Medical Exoskeleton) * X_Armor_MedicalIntf (Medical Interface) * X_Armor_MotoJoints (Motorized Joints) * X_Armor_Plating (Armor Plating) * X_Armor_PressSeals (Pressurized Seals) * X_Armor_RegenPlating (Energized Plating) * X_Armor_ShieldBatt (Shield Battery) * X_Armor_ShieldMod (Shield Modulator) * X_Armor_ShieldVI (Shield Interface) * X_Armor_ShockAbs (Shock Absorbers) * X_Armor_StimPack (Stimulant Pack) Grenade Ammo Mods Example: GiveItem Self 10 X_GAmmo_Incendiary * X_GAmmo_AntiThorian (Anti-Thorian Gas I) * X_GAmmo_Cryo (Cryo Explosive) * X_GAmmo_Fusion (Fusion Explosive) (This is really x_gammo_toxic ?) * X_GAmmo_HE (High Explosive) * X_GAmmo_Incendiary (Incendiary Explosive) * X_GAmmo_Proton (Obsolete?) Weapon Ammo Mods Example: GiveItem Self 10 X_WAmmo_SnowBlind * X_WAmmo_AntiPersonnel (Anti-Personnel Rounds) * X_WAmmo_AP (Armor Piercing Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Chemical (Chemical Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Cryo (Cryo Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Hammerhead (Hammerhead Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Harpoon (Harpoon Rounds) * X_WAmmo_HE (High Explosive Rounds) * X_WAmmo_HyperRail (Does nothing. May have been intended for mod of same name.) * X_WAmmo_Incendiary (Incendiary Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Inferno (Inferno Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Phasic (Phasic Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Polonium (Polonium Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Proton (Proton Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Radioactive (Radioactive Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Shredder (Shredder Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Sledgehammer (Sledgehammer Rounds) * X_WAmmo_SnowBlind (Snowblind Rounds) * X_WAmmo_Striker (Obsolete code) * X_WAmmo_Tungsten (Tungsten Rounds) Weapon Mods Example: GiveItem Self 10 X_WGear_ScramRail * X_WGear_CombatScanner (Combat Scanner) * X_WGear_CombatSensor (Combat Sensor) * X_WGear_CombatVI (Combat Optics) * X_WGear_FrictionlessMat (Frictionless Materials) * X_WGear_HeatSink (Heat Sink) * X_WGear_HighCaliber (High Caliber Barrel) * X_WGear_HyperRail (Hyper Rail) * X_WGear_ImpSighting (Improved Sighting) * X_WGear_KineticCoil (Kinetic Coil) * X_WGear_KineticStab (Kinetic Stabilizer) * X_WGear_RailExt (Rail Extension) * X_WGear_RecoilDamp (Recoil Damper) * X_WGear_ScramRail (Scram Rail) * X_WGear_TargettingVI Talents Example: GiveBonusTalent 7 *7 (Assault Rifles) *14 (Shotguns) *21 (Sniper Rifles) *49 (Throw) *50 (Lift) *56 (Warp) *57 (Singularity) *63 (Barrier) *64 (Stasis) *84 (Electronics) *86 (Damping) *91 (Hacking) *93 (Decryption) *98 (First Aid) *99 (Medicine) *137 (Shock Trooper: Soldier) *138 (Shock Trooper: Vanguard) *141 (Commando: Soldier) *142 (Commando: Infiltrator) *145 (Operative: Engineer) *146 (Operative: Infiltrator) *149 (Medic: Engineer) *150 (Medic: Sentinel) *153 (Nemesis: Adept) *154 (Nemesis: Vanguard) *157 (Bastion: Adept) *158 (Bastion: Sentinel) Difference between same specializations are first 6 points that are same as starting class mentioned in brackets. When adding the bonus talents string be very careful for the game will only allow you to use around 5-6 offensive abilities for use in game, no matter how many abilities you add. So keep in mind that firstly you should add the abilities which are most useful''(ex.- Warp & Singularity)'' fully upgrade them, then go for the other bonus talents. Also one might wanna start adding talents with spectre & class talents like - "commando". Achievements Example: UnlockAchievement 12 #Medal of Honor Achievement #Medal of Heroism Achievement #Distinguished Service Medal Achievement #Council Legion of Merit Achievement #Honorarium of Corporate Service Achievement #Long Service Medal Achievement #Distinguished Combat Medal Achievement #Medal of Valor Achievement #Pistol Expert Achievement #Shotgun Expert Achievement #Assault Rifle Expert Achievement #Sniper Expert Achievement #Lift Mastery Achievement #Throw Mastery Achievement #Warp Mastery Achievement #Singularity Mastery Achievement #Barrier Mastery Achievement #Stasis Mastery Achievement #Damping Specialist Achievement #AI Hacking Specialist Achievement #Overload Specialist Achievement #Sabotage Specialist Achievement #First Aid Specialist Achievement #Neural Shock Specialist Achievement #(Unknown/Hidden/Invalid) #Scholar Achievement #Completionist Achievement #Tactician Achievement #Medal of Exploration Achievement #Rich Achievement #Dogs of War Achievement #Geth Hunter Achievement #Soldier Ally Achievement #Sentinel Ally Achievement #Krogan Ally Achievement #Turian Ally Achievement #Quarian Ally Achievement #Asari Ally Achievement #Power Gamer Achievement #Extreme Power Gamer Achievement #Renegade Achievement #Paragon Achievement #Paramour Achievement #Spectre Inductee Achievement #Charismatic Achievement #Search and Rescue Achievement #Colonial Savior Achievement #Undisputed Achievement #New Sheriff in Town Achievement #Best of the Best Achievement Area Codes Structure: Level development code - Official name - Console command Main levels Removed levels Areas of this group were used during game development and are no longer available. Additional resources Beyond changes to the configuration files, it is recommended to set your graphics card driver and settings to enhance graphic quality and performance. Below, are some recommendations for further readings: Tweak Guides: *Guide to Mass Effect configuration *The TweakGuide Tweaking Companion *ATI Catalyst Tweak Guide and Nvidia Forceware Tweak Guide *The Gamer's Graphics & Display Settings Guide Support: *Community Support *Technical Support Category:Mass Effect Category:Guides